Rotary engine.



No. 813,284 PATENTED EBB- zo 'gqe. G. E. EGKLER.

"Will! 2 8HEBTS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED FEB. 20, 1906., G. E; E'GKLER.

' ROTARY ENGINE. ,7 APPLICATION FILED Jul-611905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES '(EOhUIC l EOKLER, OF AKRON, OHIO ROTARY ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. I

Patented Feb. 20, 1906.

Application filed January 8, 1905. Serial No. 239,454.

To (1 who! if In/(r47 won/(fern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. EoKLeR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Rotary Engines, of which the following is a complete specification.

My invention relates to rotary engines; and it has for its object the production of an engine of the typenamed of greateiiicicncy and economy and in whichthe motive power employed may be gas, gasolene, or steam, as the COIlVGlliOllGQ or necessities of the case dictate, and in which when using gas or gasolene as a power the capacity of the explosionchamber and the amount of the charge of iluid exploded may be readily regulated to adapt it to the various requirements to which the engine may be put.

.In accomplishing the before-mentioned ob- ,ject I employ certain mechanism, a description of one form of which is hereinafter given, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, lnwlnch drawings similar reference-numerals indicate llke parts in the driler'ent figures.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a vertical central section of my improved gasen- I'gine with the piston at the point where the inlet-valve is closed and the explosion takes place. Fig.2 is a side elevation l'ro'm the left of Fig. 1 with a portion of the casing broken away to better illustrate the internal con struction of the engine. Fig. 3 is a detail oi a portion of the interior of the piston, showing the means for constantly compensating for the wear on the piston incident to the use of the engine; and Fi 4 is a plan view of one of the blades hcreina ter more fully described. -In the drawings, 1 is a bed-plate on which is mounted an upright bracket, in the top of which is journaled a horizontal shaft 3, having on its outer end a wheel 4, over which may pass a belt forconveying power to any suitable machinery to which it is desired to convey power, and this wheel 41 may act as a balance-wlieel ii made hcavyenough. On the inner end of the shaft 3 is a wheel or spider ."i, to which is attached by bolts 6 the inner surface oi a rotary piston 7. This piston has a cylindrical exterior andis adapted to rotate in a cylhnlrical opening cut longiiudinully through an inclosing cylinder 8. The piston 7 is provided at one end-with a liangc U and at the other end with detachable plates 10 to constantly maintain the piston in proper position in the opening in the cylinder 8.. This piston 7 is split at diametrically opposite points, (see Fig. 3,) and through the inturned flanges at the ends of the piston are drilled conical holes partly in in each half of the piston, and'into these openings are placed cone-shaped pins 11, which are constantly forced outward by springs 12, so that by means ol'- the springs .12 and cone-shaped pins 1.] the two halves oi" the piston will be forced apart as far as the opening in the cylinder 8, in which the piston rotates, will permit, thus taking up all wear incident to the rotation of the piston 1 in the cylinder 8. Allowance is made for this expansion by making the' rim of the wheel or spider 5 separate from the p1ston 7 and connecting them by bolts 6.

The motive power, consisting of the prod nets of exploded gas or gasolene, is introduced to the annular space between the cylinder and the piston by means of two pipes 13, which unite with a T 14 at their inner ends, and their outer ends. are connected with hollow blocks 15, the openings of which are each in turn connected by a triangular opening (51 with the annular space surrounding the piston. Attached to the T 14 is a valve which will be later described.

At approximately diametrically opposite pointsin the outer faces of the piston 7 are openings or exhaust ports 16, hereinafter referred to as inner exhaust ports or openings. These openings 16d0 notextend across the entire face of the piston, but their width is approximately illustrated in Fig. On the lower face of the inner openings 16 are fastened hinges 17, having downwardly-turned hooked ends which enter correspondingly. shaped grooves in the faces of blades 18, whose width is greater than the width of the annular space around the piston and whose lengths are equal to the longitudinal length of that annular space around the piston. The edges of these blades 18 are rounded, and they are provided at one end with wings l9,

whichjserve to make their union or contact "as outer with wings at their ends for the same reason that the wings.19 are'provided forthe blades 18. Preferably-in the face of e'ach'of the blades 24 is fastened pivotally one end of a rod 26', to the oppositelends of which isfastened a spring 27, whic constantly tends to draw'the free ends of the blades 24 against the outer periphery 'of the piston 7. A steadying-bar 28 is bolted to the outside of the c linder and extends into the opening22 and ears against the rod 26 With a view of holding it steady at all times.

Itls obvious from the description heretoforegiven that the blades 18 in their travel with the piston 7 will ride over the blades 24 andboth be pressed inward in order to allow the passage of one over the other, .and in ori I to their normal 'the inside'of the derto render smoother the return of the free or swinging edges of these blades 18and 24. positions there are fastened to cylinder immediately above the point-Where the blades 24 swing wedgeby the blades 24.

shaped blocks 29, over which the free edge of the blades 18 run in returning to their normal position after being pressed backward It will be obvious upon that the blades 18 and inspectionofFig. 2

position they will occupy just 2.4 are at the before the discharge of the used fluid from the annular space between the piston 7 and cyl- I inder 8 takes .place through the outer exhaust-ports 22, andas soon as the blades 18 have passed over the blades 24 and start on: their descent down the incline of the blocks 29 they will'produce a suction in the inletpipes 13 sufficiently strong to draw into the explosive-chambe'rin the T .14 an explosive such as gasolene, and the means by which this charge or. explosive charge is fired and the point where such ignition shall take place is determined by the following mechanism, which also operates in oonnection'with the valve governing the inlet of the explosive fluid. The T "14, into which run the two inlet-pipes 13, is provided at one side with an unusallylarge opening across which extends'a perforated bar 31; Onto the threads on this T 14 is screwed a valve-casing 32,-having a valve seat 33 therein, in which is a coneshaped valve 34, havin lon itudinal] through it a pin 35, one of t e ends of whic passes through'the perforation in the bar 31 of the T 14, and the other endzrests in a suitably-shaped opening inthe valve-casing 32.

The outside face of the valve-casing 32 is threaded, and on these threads is placed a with a packing gland 39, and through this cap 38 passes a shaft 40 in almement With the pin 35 of the valve 34. The end of .theshaft 40 Within'the valve-casing 32 isv yoked and provided .with two hooks 41 or a outer end of the shaft 40 passes through a vertical lever 42 and is threaded and pro- 'lhevalvmcasing suitably-shapedframe, the. central portionof which passes through the valve 34. The

vided with. adjusting-nuts 43 and 44. The

lower end of the lever 42 is pivoted to one end of an arm 45, whichin turn is pivoted to an ear 46 on the rim 37. A slidable bar 47.

is pivotally attached to the upper end of the lever 42 and passes through a suitable openvided for it in the foot or inner portion of an adjustable carriage 48.- This adjustable carriage is adapted toslide radially on a T- mg in the rim 37, as well as an opening proheaded rail 49, fastened to the outerface of the cylinderS and to be retained in position at a desired point by a set-screw 50; The inner face of the'car-riage 48 is hollowed out sufiif 'ciently to permit the placing therein of an insulated contact-finger 51 and a contact-plate 52, which are caused to connect or electrically contact by a pair of bosses 53, placed on i the flange of the piston 7. Itis obvious, there fore, that the point of closing of the electrical contact l'orfiri-ng the explosive charge can be determined and regulated by the position the carriage 48 is caused to assume.

An ordinary sparking plug. 54 is placed in the T 14'and is electrically connected by the ordinary wiring employed in explosive-engines 'Witl'l'i/he contact-points 51 and 52. This arrangement is such that the terminals of the'sparking plug 54 are within the hollow body of the T 14, and the pressure exerted by the explosioncauses the products thereof to pass approximately equally through both the pipes 13 to the openings 61 and from thence to the annular space exist- IIO ing between the outer peri hery of the piston and the inner periphery o the cylinder.

Within the body of the valve-casing 32 is an annular cored opening 55, into which extends a pipe 56, by which a supply of gas from a service-pipe under pressure can be introduced to the interior of the valve-chamber and the T 14 by means of small inletholes 57, normally closed by the valve 34.

In employing either gasolene or steam it is customarily introduced through the pipe 58 to the interior of the valve-casing, from whence it passes through the valve 34 to the i The device for closing the valve just previward, thereby forcing backward the lever 42 of t e same. this entrance of exploded gas into the an- 5fcated in 2 and thereby prevent the gas from the foregoing description and an inspecinembers 59 to the flange of the piston 7 in will effectually keep the valve 34 closed after blades 18 pass the outer exhaust-ports '22 the after oils to firing and then opening it after the explosionis as follows: t willbe obvious tion of the drawings that it will be necessary that the valve 34 be closed during the instant of firing the explosive charge in the T 14, which is accomplished by attaching two such a position that their outer faces, to whichis given a cam shape, will encounter the outer end of the bar 47 and force it backand drawing outthe shaft 40, and through this connective mechanism closing the valve 34. The pressure in the pipes 13 and T 14 the bar 47 is passed over and out from contact with the members 59. As soon as the pressure of exploded gas acting'on the base portion of the valve 34 has diminished sufficiently the valve will be opened automatically by a spring 60, extending between the lever 42 and the bar 45. i

A brief detailed description of the operation of this device is as follows: Assuming that the piston is in the position'shown in Fig. 2 and is rotating in the direction indicated by the arrows, the instant that the products of combustion constituting the motive power of the device will escape outwardly through the exhaust-ports 22 and passing these exhaust-ports the blades 18 wil encounter the blades 24, which while being pivotally mounted are stationary and do not revolve with the piston, and both blades 18 and 24 will be. pressed backward sufficiently to allow them to pass by each other. Immediately after the blades 18 have passed the blades 24 both blades return to the position shown in Fig. 2. By this is meant that the blades 18 will swing outwardly to encounter the inner periphery of the cylinder and the blades 24 will swing inward to encounter the outer'periphery of the piston. When the blade 18 (shown in Fig. 2) has reached the position occupied in that drawing by the reference-numeral 25, it will pass the triangular opening 61 existing on that side corresponding to the triangular openingindicated by dotted lines on the opposite side of the device, and at a definite time after the passage of this blade 18 past the mouth of the triangular o ening 61, which exists on the right side 0 the machine in Fig. 2', the explosion of gas or gasolene takes place in the T 14, and the inlet-pipes 13 convey'the products of this exploslonto the annular space in the rear of the blades 18 and force them in a circumferential direction in company with the iston. and thereby causes therotation The blades 24 at the time of nular space will" be in the position indifrom passing backward out through the exhaust-ports 16 and 22. The pressure of exploded gas or gasolene exists within the annular space until the blades 18 make a semirevolution and pass over the exhaust-ports 22 on the opposite side of the cylinder, at which time the exploded gases pass out, as already described. The ports 16 and 22 ing always open, no pressure of gas or prod nets of. the explosion thereof can exist in. front of the bladeslS, and consequently any fluid which might exist in advance of the blades 18 is free to pass out through these exhaust-ports'readily, and therefore exert no retarding pressure against the blades 18.

ters Patent, is

1. The combination in an engine of the having inturned annularly forme'd head s, each provided with an opening therein, said openings being in longitudinal almement with each other, a longitudinally-split cyl1n drically-formed piston arranged in saidopenings, whereby an annular space will ex st between said cylinder and the outer periphery of said piston, means to retain said piston in said openings, means to constantly force the portions of said piston against the walls of said openings in said cylindrical heads, a plurality of blades in said annular space a por tion of which are hinged'to the piston and the balance to the inside of said cylinder, said blades arranged to pass each other during the rotation of said piston, means to hold the blades hinged on said cylinder against said piston, and meansto hold the blades mounted on said piston against the inside surface of said cylinder.

2. The combination in an engine of the class described, of an outer inclosing cylinder having inturned annularly-formedheads, each provided with an opening therein, a piston arranged in said openings, whereby an annular space will exist between said cyllnder and the outer periphery of'said piston, means to retain said piston in said openings, means movable in said annular space and attached. pivotally to said piston to receivethe said annular space, means to convey a pro pelling fluid to said annular space at diamet rically opposite points thereof, an explosionchamber arranged in connection with said induction means, an igniting device placed in said explosion-chamber, a carriage mounted on said cylinder radially adjustable in position with respect thereto, a circuit-breaker mounted on said carriage and suitably connected with said igniting device, and means on said piston to close said circuit-breaker.

3. The combination-.in';an engine'of the having inturned amiiila rly-formed ,hearls,-.

- each provided with an opening there1n,'said impact of a propelling flu d introduced to What I claim, and desire to secure by Letclass described, of an outer inclosing cylinder class described, of an outer inc-losing cylind-er means to introduce a propelling fluid to said] annular space at opposite points thereof, an

explosion-chamber arranged in connection with said induction means, an igniting device in said ex losion-chamber, a carriage mountf ed on sai cylinder and adjustable in position with respect to the position of said induction means, a circuit-breaker on said carriage suitvwith each other,

ably connected with said igniting device means on said piston to close said circuit'- breaker, and means to close to said explosion-chamber.

4. The combination in an engine of the the inlet of fluid class-described, of an outer inclos ng cylinder having inturned annularly-forr'ned heads, each provided with an opening therein, said openings being in longitudinal alinement a piston arranged in said openings, whereby an annular space will exist between said cylinder and the outerpe riphery of said piston, means to retain said piston in said openings, means movable in' said annular space and attached pivotally to said piston to receive the impact of a propellingfluid introduced to said annular space, means .to introduce a propelling fluid to said annular space at opposite points thereof, an explosion-chamber in said induction means, an igniting device in said explosion-chamber, a circuit-breaker suitably mounted and con- .nected with said igniting device, means on said piston to close said circuit-breaker, and means to change the position of said circuitbreaker with respect to the position of said induction means.

5. The combinationin an engine of the class described, of an outer'inclosing cylinder provided with oppositely-disposed eXhaustports, a piston arranged toro'tate within said cylinder. and separated therefrom to form an air-space, means to introduce to said air space a propelling fluid equally at diametrically opposite points, an explosion-chamber mounted in said induction means, a valve to control the inlet of the propelling fluid to said explosive-chamber, a carriage I mounted on said cylinder and ad ustable in position with respect to the exhaust-ports of said cylinder,

means mounted in said carriage to operate said valve, and means mounted on said pis-' ton to operate said last-named means and close said valve substantially as shown and described. 7

6. The combination in an engine of the class described, of an outer inclosing cylinder provided with op'positelydisposed exhaustports, a piston arranged to her in said induction means, a valve to control the entrance of the propelling fluid to said explosive-chamber, a carriage mounted on'said cylinder and ad ustabIe in position rotate within said cylinder and separated therefrom to form'an' air-space, means to introduce to said airspace a propelling fluid, an explosive-chamwith respect to the position of the exhaustports of said cylinder, means on said carriage to operate said valve, means on said piston to operate said last-named means, a circuit breaker mounted on said carriage, andmeans on said piston to close said circuit-breaker substantially as shown and desc-ribed.

(In testimony that I claim the above I hereunto set my hand in the presence oi two subscribing witnesses. 1

GEORGE E In presence oi C. E. HUMPHREY, I GLENARA Fox.

(JKLER. 

